Restorative Practice
Restorative Practice enables the building, maintaining and repairing of relationships. The philosophy embodies a set of values and principles and a way of working with people that provides a common language and approach and enables the practice to be taught.
What are the key principles
Restorative Practice is underpinned by values of empathy, respect, honesty, acceptance, responsibility, and mutual accountability.
Restorative Practice has main goals are:
- Building and repairing relationships to work in ways that are respectful and engaging, enabling participants to develop understanding and empathy and the impact of their behaviour both positive and negative. Additionally to work in ways that enable participants to put right relationships when harm has been caused.
- Empowerment of individuals, groups and communities. Restorative Practices aims to support these groups to build confidence and control over their own lives. RP tries to meet the needs of community through strategies that build relationships and empower families, schools and communities to take responsibility for the well being of its members.
- Mutual Accountability – Restorative Practice provides opportunities for wrongdoers to be accountable to those they have harmed, and enable them to repair the harm they caused to the extent possible.
- Cultural Sensitivity – Restorative Practices is culturally sensitive enabling participants to conduct processes and meeting in line with their own traditions and culture.
- Shared responsibility – the approach builds on the knowledge, skills and resources in both formal helping agencies and services and informal family and community network to work together; sharing responsibility knowledge, skills and resources for the well-being and of children and young people.
Outcome and Solution Focused – Restorative Practice aims to focus on outcomes and solutions using the results for children as the basis for all action. This will increase the pro-social skills of those who have harmed others, address underlying causes and enable people to build on strengths. The outcome and decision in response to behaviour that has affected others may involve an appropriate sanction. This is discussed with all parties to ensure that the process is fair, mutually agreed and relevant to the nature of the behaviour.
Our restorative community equips our pupils with the skills to recognise and manage their own feelings and nurture their relationships within the school. Daily community circles ensure ALL pupils have a voice and thrive in an environment that promotes respect and appreciation of differences, therefore the school is a safe and happy place to be where pupils learn to resolve their problems in an effective and mature way.
Restorative questions scaffold our conflict resolution. Some of these are;
What happened?
What were you thinking about at the time?
What have your thoughts been since?
Who has been affected by what happened?
In what way have they been affected?
What do you think needs to happen next?
Working restoratively creates a safer, more productive and a more caring environment for all.
Thoresby gives me the opportunity to have a great education. The topics are great!
We are lucky to have Kaleidoscope every year! We learn so much and everyone comes together for a celebration.
My daughter started in September and she has flourished. Not only in an academic sense but in terms of her social skills and her open-mindedness to others – it’s been a fantastic experience for her!
Our son is absolutely thriving at Thoresby. He has really got on well with his teachers and enjoyed lessons. If asked he would say the dinners are best but his progress speaks for itself. Thank you.
Thoresby helps us to learn that we are all unique and special in our own way.
Thoresby is an amazing school and the best aspect of the school are the brilliant selfless teachers who put the children at the forefront of everything.
I feel the school is a blessing for parents who have the opportunity to send their kids here as they provide the best education and pastoral care possible.
I would like to say that both our children – daughter in year 4 and son in year 6, enjoy attending their lessons and their topics they are being taught.
The support from the teaching staff is very good and the pastoral care of our children, especially when needed for our son. Overall very positive.
I am proud to be part of the Thoresby community.
Our daughter started Thoresby in September 2018 – she has grown in confidence and the support from her teachers is constant. We are very happy with everything the school offers and provides.
My daughter has been coming here since nursery and has always loved the school, she is doing really well in all her subjects and I couldn’t be happier with her progress.
Thoresby is a special place.
My son and daughter are both very happy at Thoresby. The staff are approachable and helpful and the children are offered a good variety of different opportunities.
Thoresby is a brilliant school and my kids love coming here.
Everybody is welcome at Thoresby.
My children are very happy at school.
Thoresby management team ensure that the school is inclusive and forward thinking. I have always been impressed by the way this school is run and continue to be - especially their dedication to child protection and wellbeing programmes.
Our son has been coming here for 8 years. He will be doing his SATs soon. He loves coming here and loves the food. He has so many friends and loves all his classes too. He gets on well with everybody and all his teachers have been brilliant with him. Thoresby is a good school.
We are very happy with Thoresby, lovely staff and teachers.
All three of my children have been taught at Thoresby with my youngest leaving this year. I have fond memories of Thoresby over the years and found staff helpful and very supportive.
Thoresby has been brilliant for my boys, really supportive and encouraging.
We love Thoresby. Both of our girls go there and have had a fantastic time. It is very supportive and nurturing.
The outside area is so much fun!
My daughter is making great progress at Thoresby. Overall I am very pleased with every aspect.
My daughter enjoys all aspects of school life, she involves herself in many activities and represents the school in various team sports. We are pleased with all her progress.
I think Thoresby is an amazing school. The teachers are approachable and my son loves school.
Thoresby gives us opportunities to spend time with the coaches and develop our sports skills.
This school offers varied education in an environment with so many children from so many parts of the world, and do it very well you see happy smiling children every day! Hats off to this school!